The Flash - 'Pilot' and 'Fastest Man Alive'

Disappointingly, I was unable to find a cast in costume promo shot to use for this review; I like those in an ensemble show and, as I like ensemble shows, I worry that The Flash might be a bit of a one man band. I don't care for one man bands.

Barry Allen is the fastest man alive. After losing his mother to a mysterious, superpowered assailant, he grows up to be a seeker of truth as a CSI with Central City PD, but is given a chance to do more when the disastrous activation of the STAR Labs particle accelerator gifts him with superhuman speed, and a rogue's gallery of variously empowered foes to face.

The first - and possibly the last, given the current focus on the DCCU - step in the creation of a larger DC television universe on a par with the old Animated version, The Flash is a spin-off from Arrow. Barry Allen made his first appearance as a lovably awkward science genius in two episodes of Season 2 of the parent show, and was then struck by lightning mere seconds after making a move on Felicity Smoake, apparently securing her status as protected love interest by an act of God.

After a year in a development coma, Barry returned with his own series and a daringly classic uniform, which manages not to look completely stupid. He has his own back-up, akin to Team Arrow, formed of Dr Harrison Wells, head of STAR Labs, his sort-of-but-not-actually foster father Joe West, a CCPD homicide detective, and a pair of adorkable science nerds, Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon. Snow and Ramon are named after DC characters, but don't seem to be related, although it is possible Snow will end up as a foe yay Killer Frost in the same way that Arrow's Cyrus Gold might fulfil the hints and rise again as Solomon Grundy (Hell, I'm only halfway through series 2 so he might have done so already.)

'Pilot' and 'Fastest Man Alive' are effectively a two-part set up for the series as a whole. 'Pilot' is the origin story and 'Fastest Man Alive' shows Barry finding his feet as 'the Red Streak', matching Arrow's trick of keeping the classic superhero identity in the title for the time being. They also set up the core arc - Harrison Wells has a newspaper from the future, is faking his paralysis and is willing to kill to protect Barry; what's up with that, yo? - and character dynamics.

Clearly the internet agrees with me (even if it is embracing
the frankly lame 'Snowbarry'.)

In addition to Team Flash, the main characters are Joe's daughter and Barry's long-time unrequited crush Iris, and Joe's partner Eddie Thawne, who also has a DC villain's name, and since he's dating the canon love interest may actually turn out to be a supervillain. I hope not, because after two episodes I want him and Iris to get married and move away, because Barry's awkward crush on Iris is already annoying. There is way more chemistry between Barry and Caitlin, or Barry and Felicity, and in fact between Iris and Eddie, than Barry and Iris.

The alternative is that Eddie becomes The Flash's version of Tommy Merlyn.

As it plays out, what Barry and Iris looks like is Barry still chasing his 'safe' option, the girl he knows loves him and would never want to hurt him, despite - or even because of - their total lack of romantic zip. So far, the series has offered us Barry trying to ask Iris out and her assuming he's asking for advice on talking to girls, and Barry admitting his feelings at superspeed so that she can't hear him. On the flip side, we have Barry noting that Caitlin's smiles are rare things and managing not to be creepy doing it and the rest of Team Flash noting that he makes Caitlin mad in a way only her late fiance ever managed before. I sincerely hope that the producers aren't wedded to the canon OTP.

As an aside, I think that the timeframe set out in the pilot means that Allen either sort-of asked Felicity out on the rebound from being blank-bounced by his sort-of-but-not-actually foster sister or vice versa, but I'm going to try not to think of it that way because it makes him less likable and is almost certainly an artefact of the year between the Arrow episode and 'Pilot'.

In terms of antagonists, 'Pilot' gives us the Weather Wizard and 'Fastest Man Alive' a semi-sympathetic Multiplex, both established DC characters. They appear uncostumed, and are somehow darker because of it, and I suspect that in the long term the lighter touch of The Flash as compared to Arrow would be better serve by an increased flamboyance in its villains. Still, that's a delicate balancing act, so let's see how they do.